4 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge, rural, narrow-gauge system for
hauling sugarcane; no passenger service

Highways:
total: 14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama, Playa de Ponce,
San Juan

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 30 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: paramilitary National Guard, Police Force

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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@Qatar
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Geography

Location: Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and
Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline: 563 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer

Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand
and gravel

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 94% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 80 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water resources
are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography--note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near
major petroleum deposits

People

Population: 723,542 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 99,232; female 95,4